Emu's Birthday
by Aiden Ravelle
Summary: Emu has a really bad few days.


This is my first Ex-aid fic. I worked on this on and off for months and it went soo many places I didn't expect. Hope you enjoy it.

"You know, as the head of a department, you probably shouldn't sit around playing video games," Hiiro mentioned to Emu who had his feet up on the table and a game in hand.

"I'm on break," Emu replied, "Plus Parad was getting bored."

Parad, who also had a game in hand, waved at the entering Hiiro.

"Actually don't you have to go to lunch soon?" Parad reminded Emu. He was supposed to meet his parents for lunch for his 25th birthday.

Emu shot up in his chair, kicking his drink over. He scrambled to clean it up, and headed out the door.

After two hours he arrived back, looking a bit let down.

"No shows again?" Parad wondered.

Emu shrugged and tried to focus on further cleaning up the break room.

Hiiro who was going through some patient files looked curious. Emu normally ate lunch at work or went out with the other riders, "Who were you meeting?"

"No one," Emu mumbled to himself.

"You didn't even eat anything did you?" Parad accused knowing his friend.

Emu shrugged heading out to check the pediatric ward to check out a few patients he had been helping with.

When he arrived back to the CR his phone went off, "I understand, it's fine, you were just busy with work. Yeah, bye."

Hiiro, who was going through patient files, looked up but didn't want to intrude on Emu's personal life.

Parad, however, being Emu's bugster, knew exactly what the phone call was about. "More promises of future meetings and how sorry they are for not showing up?"

Emu nodded while packing his bag to head home.

"If I were you," Parad started, "well, _all_ of you, I'd have cut them out of your life long ago. At least your mother."

"They are my only parents, Parad. You know I can't do that." Emu clocked out and informed his bugster, "I'm heading home." 

"Poppy and I are going to the arcade later, and then don't forget there is the midnight game release we are supposed to go to," Parad reminded.

"Yeah," Emu remembered, "Have a good weekend Hiiro," He gave a small smile before walking down the stairs.

Parad and Hiiro didn't talk often, but Parad could tell Hiiro was curious about the phone call, "His parents are always busy working. They were supposed to meet for lunch because his birthday is tomorrow, but again, they didn't show," he sighed, "I hate seeing Emu get his hopes up over and over."

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"Kuroto, where did you even come from this time?" Emu wondered, not having seen the ex Genm CEO in a few months.

"I'm a god, I can be anywhere!" Kuroto laughed.

Emu simply looked unamused and kept walking toward his apartment.

"Hey, I made a new gashat just for you, consider it a birthday present," Kuroto stood in front of Emu.

"Not interested," Emu stepped around until Kuroto grabbed his arm and forced the gashat into his driver.

The gashat activated but instead of making him change, a dark aura surrounded Emu.

"I've been advancing the bugster virus a bit and wanted to see how it would affect you," Kuroto admitted.

Emu glared, taking the gashat from his driver and inserting his Mighty Action X gashat and changing into Kamen Rider Ex-Aid.

Kuroto proceeded to change into Dangerous Zombie, and exchanged blows with Ex-Aid.

After a few minutes, Ex-Aid's health bar dropped quickly sending him to the ground unmorphed.

"Looks like the bugster virus still isn't good for your health, is it? I was hoping for bigger results though," Kuroto laughed at Emu who was on his knees coughing up blood. Kuroto gave Emu a quick kick which knocked him unconscious.

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"Emu?" Parad shook his friend trying to wake him.

Emu groaned before rolling over and throwing up.

"Let's get you home," Parad helped Emu stand before taking control of his body. He got them to Emu's apartment, showered, and wounds bandaged.

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"As head of the department you should really look more prepared and awake for your patients," Hiiro scolded.

Emu just nodded and stayed quiet. Parrad on the other hand spoke up, "He'd be fine if Kuroto didn't mess with him last night."

Hiiro had a slight look of surprise to which Emu responded, "I'm fine. I was just rushed being called in on my day off."

"The patient will be here soon," Poppy responded, "Apparently he was told he was getting laid off this morning and the stress activated the bugster virus."

Parrad who was watching through the observation window quietly said in shock, "Emu."

Emu looked up and Parrad informed, "The patient is your dad."

Emu shot up out of the chair and stumbled down the stairs.

"Emu?!" His mother asked when he entered the room.

"What happened?" Emu questioned while trying to give a calming smile to his dad.

"I found out I was going to be laid off this morning, and the stress just got to me. I thought maybe I had a panic attack," his dad informed.

Emu scanned him over and found the virus just like Poppy mentioned.

"You have game disease, but it's going to be fine, we take care of this here all the time," Emu said calmly.

"Game disease? What is that?" Emu's mother asked annoyed, "It sounds like something you made up."

Emu gave a small sigh, "It's basically a videogame disease that affects your physical body."

"You know he never plays video games," his mother said.

"You don't have to play them to get the disease," Emu tried to explain.

"So did you give it to him with all your video games?" His mother questioned, "You know I always told you they were bad."

"Ayame, stop fighting," the patient told his wife while wincing in pain, "Just let Emu do his job."

"Mom, why don't you go back to work? I'll take care of Dad and update you when we have more information," Emu suggested.

She nodded and Emu followed her out the door. Ayame saw Hiiro who had been standing in the hall and asked, "Are you going to be Kiyoshi's doctor?" 

"While we all are doctors in the CR and we all fight game disease, Emu is the head of the department now so he is in charge of the case," Hiiro informed.

"You are head of a department of videogame diseases? Of course you wouldn't end up as a real doctor would you?" Emu's mother entered the elevator.

As soon as the doors were closed, Parrad appeared, "I still despise that woman."

Emu sighed and sat down on the steps.

"Well, either way we still need to get rid of the bugster virus," Emu decided.

"Will your family be fine with him laid off?" Hiiro questioned.

"He could retire a few years ago, he just loves his job that much. They both are always busy at their jobs and always have been."

"That's why Emu _really_ started playing video games, so his time at home wouldn't feel so lonely," Parrad informed.

Emu stood up and entered the patient room again.

"She's proud of you, in her own way," his dad insisted, "Oh, and Happy birthday."

"We have to extract the bugster from you, and then we destroy it, and then you should feel better," Emu informed as he gave his father a sedative.

Once his dad was asleep, Hiiro and Emu morphed into level one to work on extracting it. They then changed the playing field, leveled up, and fought with the bugster.

"What level is he?" Emu questioned out loud after getting hit into the ground.

The bugster sent a shot at Hiiro which set off an explosion in front of him. Emu stood and went to help Hiiro up and then the bugster was gone.

"It got away," Emu informed the two bugsters sitting in the break room.

"Your dad just woke up, he's doing a bit better for now though," Poppy informed.

"I'm going to go talk to him," Emu stretched before walking back down the stairs.

Emu and his dad talked for a while, Poppy kept glancing in to check on them, watching them smile and laugh.

"He seems fine with his dad."

"Yeah, dad's fine if mom isn't around. I've always hated her. She never gives Emu a break even when he is doing the best he can," Parrad paused for a moment, "Speak of the devil..."

"I thought he'd be better by now?" She asked walking into the room.

"It's kind of complicated, but we are working on it and he will be better soon," Emu explained.

"Complicated? Maybe we need a different doctor. The one I talked to earlier looks more competent, I'd like to request him instead," his mother informed.

Emu took a deep breath, "He's part of the team treating him."

"It seems like he should be in charge of this place. Isn't he a world renowned surgeon?"

Emu's eyes glowed as he stood up and growled, "Yes, he is, and he is a much better surgeon than I am. However, this is not cutting someone open, this is game disease, and though he is very good at fighting it, I'm not sure anyone in the department knows more about it than I do."

She rolled her eyes, "Because all you do is play video games."

"How about because I was the first one to be infected with it?!" Emu yelled, "Also, if you hadn't been working all the time maybe I wouldn't have paid _that_ much attention to video games, and then I _wouldn't_ have gotten infected by Kuroto, and then maybe I could be a world class surgeon or whatever _you_ think I should be!"

"Emu!" Parrad and Poppy ran in through the doors.

"You are stressing the patient out," Poppy warned making him look toward his dad who was fading and visibly in pain.

"Emu," Parrad pulled on his arm to bring him into the hall. Once there he noted, "I know your mom can be frustrating, believe me, but I think whatever Kuroto did to your yesterday is affecting you."

"I'm just sick of her! I'm never good enough for her no matter what I do and _everything_ is always my fault," Emu clutched his side in pain.

"You are getting too stressed out, let me help you," Parrad went to merge with Emu but Emu pushed him away.

"Kuroto said he was playing with the bugster virus, I don't know what it will do to you," Emu calmed down a little and slid down the wall still holding his side. His head was starting to throb as well.

"Emu, I need you," Parrad knelt down, "You and I are a team, right? Let me help you."

After a few seconds, Emu met Parrad's eyes and nodded, holding his hand out to be helped up.

"The patient is stable," Poppy said as they gathered in the hall.

"Alright... Hiiro and Poppy take care of my dad and the bugster. Make sure she doesn't stress him out too much. I have business with Kuroto."

"I'll see what Taiga and Kiriya are doing in case we need back up," Poppy informed.

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"You didn't seem surprised I escaped lock up."

"We expected you to, I just figured you'd be done fighting me."

"Never, Emu."

Both morphed into their versions of Ex-Aid and started attacking.

After a few blows Emu pulled out Mighty Brothers XX and said, "Alright, Parrad, let's do this."

After activating it, Emu screamed in pain, holding his head tightly. The dark aura from before radiated around him finally leaving three forms. Left, Right, and Emu.

Emu collapsed onto the ground while Left and Right looked at each other then down at Emu.

"Emu, get up," Left gently shook, kneeling down next to him.

"What did you do Kuroto?" Right yelled.

"Like I said before, just playing around to see what would happen. Think of it as an unexpected science project."

"Let's get him out of here," Left decided.

"We need to get Kuroto," Right argued.

"Kuroto doesn't matter. We need to take care of Emu."

Finally, they both nodded and escaped into an alleyway.

"Let's unmorph and see what happens."

"Will that hurt him more?"

"It might hurt all of us, but we won't know until we try."

They unmorphed, still leaving Emu and two others.

"We need to talk to the others," Parrad ordered.

Back at the hospital, Hiiro, Taiga, and Kiriya stared in confusion at the 3 figures in front of them. Nico asked, "I thought M was Parrad?" 

"The bugster virus created both Parrad and M," Poppy explained.

"I thought M was destroyed..." Kiriya admitted.

"Having the virus that long complicates everything. He's also the only one who's bugster didn't kill his host," Parrad reminded, "Emu is interesting."

"You, Me, now," Nico challenged M as she pulled out a game from her bag.

"The patient is safe now, we are leaving," Taiga ordered her pushing the game back in the bag. They soon stood and left, not before Nico stuck her tongue out at M.

"Yeah, I've got some other stuff to work on. Tell me when he wakes up though," Kiriya followed.

Half an hour later, Emu slowly sits up on the couch and notices Hiiro eating cake.

"What happened to the bugster?"

"Taken care of. The patient is being released."

"I want to go talk to my dad before he leaves."

"You have other things you need to be focusing on."

"Whatever it is can wait, I'll be right back."

Emu was a bit dizzy but ran down the stairs as best as possible. Poppy looked surprised to see him but didn't say anything.

"Feeling better?"

"Yup, they are sending me home."

"Finally. That doctor was much quicker than you were," his mother interrupted. "Lovely of the head of department to disappear when he's working with a patient."

"Honey, it's fine. Anyway Emu, I guess I'll have to find some hobbies. Maybe we can spend some more time together," his dad suggested.

"Best do it when I'm not around. I'm not going to take any more back sassing from my own child."

Emu fought the headache that was building up, "I'm sorry for my earlier outburst. It's been a long couple of days."

"I don't want your excuses. There's no reason to be yelling at your mother, or the family of a patient. You should be written up for that part."

"What do you want from me? I yell, you are upset. I apologize, you are upset. I can never do anything right for you. Maybe if you'd been more present, I'd know what you actually want me to be," Emu sighed to stay calm.

He was surprised when the back of her hand slapped across his cheek, "You have no right to question me."

Emu placed his hand on his face and looked up at his mother. Before he knew what was going on he saw himself in front of her yelling. But it wasn't him.

Emu stepped back in confusion and as the headache spiked he fell back onto the floor.

Poppy was at his side trying to help him up while the other Emu yelled at his mother. Emu's dad was just staring on in confusion.

Once Emu got back up he walked toward the look alike. He went to pull him away from his mother but when he touched him he disappeared.

Parrad soon ran into the room to try to possess Emu who was now being controlled by M, still yelling at his mother.

After Parrad took over Emu, stopping the yelling, he stumbled back into Poppy.

Emu's dad stayed quiet simply unsure he really saw everything he thought he did. Emu's mom on the other hand simply said, "You aren't my son, you are some kind of weird freak," as she left the room.

Parrad let Emu take back over. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Let me run a quick scan on you," Poppy requested as Emu kept sitting there trying to make sense of what happened.

"Your scans look normal, are you feeling better?"

Emu nodded, "I'm really tired. What happened?" 

"We think it was the virus from Kuroto but you were split apart into Emu, M, and Parrad. We don't know if you'll be able to use Mighty Brothers XX again without splitting into three, but other than confusing us all, nothing bad really happened."

"Hey Emu," Parrad said as he rematerialized, "I think once you get some sleep you'll feel better. Let's get you home then you can figure out what to do about mom and dad."

"I think after all of that even dad will think I'm crazy. I'm probably disowned. At least he's feeling better."

"No matter what, you still have us," Poppy reminded. She glanced at the time, "It's already 10 at night. Go get some sleep and hopefully you won't get called in again tomorrow."

Emu nodded as he and Parrad left the room. They passed Hiiro who was also leaving.

"Good job today," Hiiro praised.

Emu lifted an eyebrow, "I didn't do anything. Thanks for taking care of the bugster."

"Just part of the job. Have a good night."

Emu went home and crashed. He woke up to Parrad cooking him breakfast.

"You never cook."

"I was going to make you breakfast for your birthday but you got called into work. So I'm pretending today is your birthday. Which reminds me, I picked up that new game if you want to play today."

Emu sat at the table and rested his head on his hand. He dozed off only to wake when food was placed in front of him.

"I was going to wake you to eat, but why did you get yourself up if you are still tired?"

Emu had a mouthful of food so instead of waiting for him to respond Parrad guessed, "nightmares?"

Emu just nodded. Once he swallowed his food he responded, "They were worse than normal, but the last few days probably influenced them."

Parrad discussed the game he had been playing all night until he was interrupted with the doorbell.

"Keep eating, I'll get it."

After opening the door Parrad smiled, "Emu, our friends came to play with us."

Emu looked at the group flowing into his small apartment: Kiriya, Taiga, Nico, Poppy, and Hiiro.

"Happy birthday!" Poppy exclaimed giving him a greeting hug.

Emu realized he was still in pajamas so he headed off to change. He noticed a new shirt with one of the Mighty Brothers XX on it and a note saying 'Happy birthday.' When he came out he noticed Parrad had changed into a shirt with the other brother on it.

The group chatted and eventually Hiiro opened up and cut the cake he had brought with.

"Oh, I've been wanting to play this!" Parrad grabbed the game Emu just received from Kiriya from Emu's hands.

"It's Emu's present," Kiriya reminded.

"That means I get to play it with him!" Parrad read the cover.

Emu rolled his eyes and smiled as he opened his present from Hiiro, "Thanks!"

"I figured you'd need another stethoscope... You seem to lose yours at least once a month."

"Thanks for the gift card, Taiga."

"I didn't know what games you needed."

Emu chuckled as he read the card from Nico which was basically just challenging him to a competition again.

Poppy's gift was a new dancing game, "I thought we could play it together if you'd want to. You know how I enjoy dancing games!"

Emu smiled at his friends, glad to be able to celebrate his birthday, even if it's a day late.

An hour or so after his friends left, Emu and Parrad heard a knock on the door while they were playing one of the new games. Emu opened the door and noticed a small package and card on the ground.

He opened the card and read, "Hi Emu, Dr. Kagami tried to explain your situation to us. Though I am still confused, I'm still here for you and want to spend more time with you. Your mother seems to be coming around too. Maybe having Dr. Kagami standing up for you finally kicked some sense into her. Who knows though, she's an interesting person so we'll see. I love you son, Dad."

Emu opened the box to find the watch his grandfather left to his father. He was surprised it was being passed down to him so soon but he was glad to know he had at least one parent's love and support.

"Hiiro did something really nice?" Parrad read the card.

"He'd deny it if you bring it up," Emu smiled as he placed the watch on his wrist and picked up the controller, "ready to play?"


End file.
